Is there any technical advantage when you move from BaanIV or BaanV to LN. Of course there is more functionality.
But when you migrate to LN does it help solve problems with integrating to the rest of the world for instance.

:o
I only see some technical advantage of LN over Baaniv. The application server design of LN is basically the same as BaanV.

The advantages, related to integration, I think are:
1. Separation of UI level and business logic level (Data Access Layer, DAL), this is a design from BaanV; OK, so when you port data from external, it can take care the integrity for you.
2. Integration with Office (need Open World Adapter for this), a design from BaanV

Other advantages, not related to integration
3. Better UI, although still not attractive, better than BaanV
4. System Installation is much easier, it can automatically install now with the demo data and DEM loaded.

Disadvantages:
1. Strict user licence checking, you cannot backdate now


Disappointment:
1. No improvement on the development environment, still the stupid report designer(it was great at the Triton era),(the form designer is a little better) and the notepad, vi editor
2. Still cannot convert report output to Excel format
3. Still not bundle a workflow engine
4. Still hard to integrate, you need to buy the Open World stuff to get integration.


OK, sounds like the Baan application should put more effort on the product technology. Don't waste time create functions that no companies will use .

Hi,

For ERP LN a lot of effort is put to open up the system for the rest of the world. I'm not a specialist in this (tools) area, but I can tell you the improvements from the application area.

History
We already have DALs since Baan V. Through BOI's you have access to these DALs. But generating a purchase order is very difficult, because lots of defaults must be programmed before you can generate a purchase order. Not very handy. The work around is: use function server. Function server works on the UI. Still not ideal, it's just a work around.

DAL 2
In ERP LN the DAL concept is upgraded. We call it DAL 2. Defaulting of table fields is moved from UI scripts to the DAL. In the DAL we maintain relationships between the fields of a table. If a parent field (for example, item) is changed by the user, the DAL knows exactly which child fields depend on the parent field and must be defaulted. This concept has a number of advantages:
- defaulting in 1 and only 1 place (easier to maintain).
- defaulting logic is also available via BOI's.
I am working for the order management department on sales and purchase orders. Sales and purchase orders support the new DAL 2 concept fully.

BOI's are also improved. We call it now BOL's. Business object layers. With protected and public layers. More details I cannot give on that. I'm not so familiar with those concepts.

Hi,

Like other ERP vendors SSA Global should be directing its development efforts towards Open XML. Then you can expose all your BAAN data without being forced to use the Open World suite to open the door to the outside world and an Open World adapter to talk to BAAN.
This will save customers at least EUR 15.000,00.

According to Mr. Greenough, the SSA Big Boss, technology is a commodity so why not give away the Open World adapter for free for starters.
Microsoft already provides BizTalk Server 2004 at a low bargin price of USD 999 per processor. BT 2004 is a direct competitor of Open World.
Microsoft has already released business applications (Microsoft CRM for example) that support Open XML. In other words you can expose all that data just using .NET and web services. No need for a suite like Open World and no need for an adapter like the Open World Adapter.
Within two years Axapta and Great Plains will also support Open XML and I wonder what the SSA and SAP visions are in this area!?!

Regards,

Edwin

I don't know about the plans for Open World.
I know that the BOL architecture supports XML.
But my focus area is in the Baan4GL.
May be other SSA guys can tell more?

Thanks for the information about DAL2!

Regarding OpenWorld, it will not cover the same scope as BizTalk. SSA has ceased the development of OW Broker, and replace it with the product from IBM (Ok, Webshpere something). This is a wise move, I think.

I do agree that they should not charge on Openworld adapter. Without OW Adapter, you cannot use the Office integration. So if anyone want to buy licence from SSA, please do remember to ask the sales to bundle the ow Adapter before u signing the contract.

one of the big improvement is that the new bdbreconfig does an inplace table alters instead of the old way of dump and reload.

Does Baan 5c with the latest porting set have that bdbreconfig functionality?

Does Baan 5c with the latest porting set have that bdbreconfig functionality?

Only Oracle on the 7.1d portingsets as a customer paid SSA to backport this.

Kind regards,
Dick